Short-Term Disability 2026: How It Works With FMLA & Maternity Leave
Mandatory State Disability Insurance
require short-term disability insurance — everywhere else, it's employer discretion or a private policy.
What Is Short-Term Disability?
Short-term disability (STD) insurance replaces part of your wages for a limited period when you can't work because of your own non-work-related illness, injury, or medical condition. For expecting parents, this commonly includes the physical recovery period after childbirth — separate from the bonding time covered by Paid Family Leave.
States That Require Short-Term Disability Insurance
| State | Program | Shares formula with PFL? |
|---|---|---|
| California | CA SDI — California State Disability Insurance ↗ | Yes |
| Hawaii | HI TDI — Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance ↗ | No — separate program |
| New Jersey | NJ TDI — New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance ↗ | No — separate program |
| New York | NY DBL — New York Disability Benefits Law ↗ | No — separate program |
| Rhode Island | RI TDI — Rhode Island Temporary Disability Insurance ↗ | Yes |
Outside these 5 states, short-term disability coverage is entirely up to your employer, or something you'd need to buy as an individual policy. Many employers offer it voluntarily as part of a benefits package, especially for salaried roles.
Puerto Rico, a US territory rather than a state, also runs a mandatory disability insurance program (SINOT), administered by the Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources.
Short-Term Disability and Pregnancy
In states with mandatory coverage, a normal pregnancy and delivery typically qualifies as a covered disability for a defined recovery window, certified by your health care provider — commonly around 6 weeks for an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and longer for a C-section or complications. This period usually runs first, followed by any separate paid bonding leave under the state's Paid Family Leave program.
How Short-Term Disability Stacks With FMLA
Short-term disability and FMLA solve different problems: FMLA protects your job during your own serious health condition (which includes a covered pregnancy disability); short-term disability, where available, pays part of your wages during that same window. The two typically run at the same time rather than adding to your total time off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short-term disability (STD) insurance replaces part of your income for a limited period when you're unable to work due to your own non-work-related illness, injury, or medical condition — including the recovery period after childbirth. It's a wage-replacement benefit, separate from FMLA's job protection.
No. Only 5 states currently mandate it: California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island. Everywhere else, short-term disability coverage is entirely a matter of what your employer chooses to offer, or a policy you purchase yourself.
In states with mandatory disability insurance, pregnancy and childbirth recovery typically qualify as a covered disability for a defined period (commonly around 6 weeks for a standard vaginal delivery, longer for a C-section, subject to your provider's certification). This is separate from — and often runs before — any bonding leave under a state Paid Family Leave program.
Yes. FMLA protects your job during your own serious health condition (which includes a covered pregnancy-related disability); short-term disability, where available, replaces part of your income during that same period. The two typically run concurrently rather than extending your total time off.
No — they cover different reasons. Short-term disability pays you for your own medical condition. Paid Family Leave pays you to bond with a new child or care for a family member's serious health condition. In some states these are run by the same agency; in others they're entirely separate programs.